LI    123 


V 


Sneas  ^Africanus 


AFRICANUS 

^By  Harry  Stillwell  Edwards 


PUBLISHED  AT  MACON,  GEORGIA 
BY  THE  J.W.  BURKE  COMPANY 
NINETEEN  HUNDRED  AND  TWENTY 


! 


COPYRIGHT.  1920 
THE  J.  W.  BURKE  COMPANY 


Gil7 


^Author  s  ^Preface 

DEAR  to  the  hearts  of  the  Southern 
ers,  young  and  old,  is  the  vanishing 
type    conspicuous    in    Eneas    of    this 
record;  and  as  in  a  sidelight  herein 
are  seen  the  Southerners  themselves, 
kind  of  heart,  tolerant  and  apprecia 
tive  of  the  humor  and  pathos  of  the 
negro's  life.     Eneas  would  have  been 
arrested  in  any  country  other  than  the 
South.     In  the  South  he  could  have 
traveled  his  life  out  as  the  guest  of 
his  "white  folks."    Is  the  story 
true?   Everybody  says  it  is. 


461096 


Sneas  ^Africanus 


Extract  from  the  Atlanta  Constitution  of  October  12, 1872 

WHO  HAS  THIS  CUP? 

MAJOR  GEORGE   E.   TOMMEY  ADVERTISES   FOR 
HIS  SILVER  CUP. 

Editor  Constitution,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Dear  Sir :  I  am  writing  to  invoke  your  kind 
assistance  in  tracing  an  old  family  negro  of 
mine  who  disappeared  in  1864,  between  my 
stock  farm  in  Floyd  County  and  my  home 
place,  locally  known  as  Tommeysville,  in  Jef 
ferson  County.  The  negro's  name  was  Eneas, 
a  small,  grey-haired  old  fellow  and  very  talka 
tive.  The  unexpected  movement  of  our  army 
after  the  battle  of  Resaca,  placed  my  stock 
farm  in  line  of  the  Federal  advance  and  ex- 


4  Eneas  Africanus 

posed  my  family  to  capture.  My  command, 
Tommey's  Legion,  passing  within  five  miles 
of  the  place,  I  was  enabled  to  give  them  warn 
ing,  and  they  hurriedly  boarded  the  last  south 
bound  train.  They  reached  Jefferson  County 
safely  but  without  any  baggage,  as  they  did 
not  have  time  to  move  a  trunk.  An  effort  was 
made  to  save  the  family  silver,  much  of  it  very 
old  and  highly  prized,  especially  a  silver  cup 
known  in  the  family  as  the  "Bride's  Cup"  for 
some  six  or  eight  generations  and  bearing  the 
inscription : 

uYe  bryde  whose  lippes  kysse  myne 
And  taste  ye  water  an  no  wyne 
Shall  happy  live  an  hersel  see 
A  happy  grandchile  on  each  knee." 

These  lines  were  surrounded  with  a  wreath 
and  surmounted  by  a  knight's  head,  visor 
down,  and  the  motto:  "SEMPER  FIDELIS." 


Eneas  Africanus  5 

This  cup  was  hurriedly  packed  with  other 
silver  in  a  hair  trunk  and  intrusted  to  Eneas 
with  verbal  instructions  as  to  travel.  He 
drove  an  old-fashioned,  flea-bitten  blooded 
mare  to  a  one-horse  wagon  full  of  forage  and 
carried  all  the  Confederate  money  the  family 
left,  to  pay  his  expenses.  He  was  last  seen,  as 
I  ascertained  soon  after  the  war  from  a 
wounded  member  of  my  command,  about 
eight  miles  southeast  of  Atlanta,  asleep  in  the 
wagon,  the  mare  turning  to  the  right  instead 
of  keeping  the  straight  road  to  Macon.  Eneas 
was  a  faithful  negro,  born  and  raised  in  the 
Tommey  family  and  our  belief  is  he  was  mur 
dered  by  army  stragglers  and  robbed  of  the 
trunk.  He  had  never  been  over  the  road  he 
was  traveling,  as  we  always  traveled  to  North 
Georgia  by  rail,  shipping  the  horses  likewise. 
His  geographical  knowledge  consisted  of  a 
few  names — places  to  which  I  had  at  different 


6  Eneas  Africanus 

times  taken  him,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of 
my  home,  such  as  Macon,  Sparta,  Louisville, 
and  the  counties  of  Washington  and  Jeffer 
son.  If  given  a  chance  to  talk  he  would  prob 
ably  confine  himself  to  "Lady  Chain,"  the 
mare  he  was  driving;  "Lightning,"  the  noted 
four-mile  stallion  temporarily  in  my  posses 
sion  ;  the  Tommey  family  and  our  settlement, 
"Tommeysville."  On  these  topics  he  could 
talk  eighteen  hours  a  day. 

I  have  no  hope  of  ever  seeing  Eneas  again, 
for  if  living  he  would  have  gotten  back  if  he 
had  to  travel  all  over  the  South  to  do  it,  but 
there  is  a  bare  chance  that  the  cup  may  be 
found,  and  I  am  writing  to  gratify  my  daugh 
ter,  whose  wedding  day  is  approaching.  All 
brides  in  the  family,  since  1670,  have  used  this 
cup  on  their  wedding  days.  If  the  cup  was 
stolen,  doubtless  the  thieves  sold  it,  and  if  so, 
the  holder  may  read  these  lines  if  they  are 


Eneas  Africanus  7 

given  publicity.  I  am  willing  to  waive  any 
question  of  ownership  and  purchase  the  cup 
at  the  holder's  valuation,  if  within  my  power; 
or,  if  unwilling  to  sell,  he  may  loan  the  cup  for 
a  few  days. 

I  shall  be  greatly  obliged  if  you  will  publish 
this  letter  with  a  request  that  all  Southern 
papers,  daily  and  weekly,  copy  the  same. 
Thanking  you  in  advance  and  with  all  good 
wishes  for  your  happiness  and  prosperity,  I 
am,  most  respectfully, 

Your  obed't  servant, 

GEORGE  E.  TOMMEY, 
Late  Major,  Tommey's  Legion,  C.  S.  A. 
P.  O.,  Louisville,  Ga. 


Althea  Lodge,  Fayette  Co.,  Ga. 

October  15,  1872. 
Maj.  Geo.  E.  Tommey, 

Louisville,  Ga. 
Dear  Major  Tommey:    I  read  with  deep 


8  Eneas  Africanus 

interest  and  sympathy  your  letter  in  the  At 
lanta  Constitution  inquiring  of  a  negro  named 
Eneas.  This  man,  I  am  sure,  came  to  my 
house  about  twenty  miles  south  of  Atlanta  in 
1864.  I  remember  the  occasion  perfectly,  be 
cause  he  mentioned  your  name  and  one  of  my 
boys  was  serving  in  your  command.  I  gave 
him  shelter  for  the  night  and  food  for  himself 
and  horse.  He  insisted  on  sleeping  in  his 
wagon.  He  told  me  that  the  mare  was  famous 
on  the  race  track  and  very  valuable  and  he 
was  afraid  to  leave  her.  This  struck  me  as 
singular,  at  the  time,  because  she  seemed  old 
and  broken  down.  I  did  not  see  any  trunk, 
but  his  wagon  was  full  of  hay  and  fodder  and 
he  may  have  had  one  hidden  under  it.  Eneas 
asked  me  to  put  him  on  the  road  to  Thomas- 
ville — or  so  I  understood  him — and  I  gave 
him  explicit  directions  as  far  as  Newnan,  ad 
vising  him  to  get  more  at  that  point.  He  was 


Eneas  Africanus  9 

gone  when  I  arose  next  morning.  I  do  hope 
you  will  find  the  old  man,  as  well  as  the  cup. 
I  took  quite  a  fancy  to  him.  He  gave  me  a 
very  vivid  description  of  yourself — whom  I 
had  long  wished  to  meet — and  of  your  home, 
the  twelve-room  house,  lawn  with  its  three 
fountains,  beautiful  lake  and  your  hundred 
negroes  in  their  painted  cottages,  etc. 

Excuse  this  rambling  letter.     Your  name 
has  stirred  an  old  woman's  memories. 
Sincerely  your  friend, 

MARTHA  HORTON. 

P.  S. — My  son  William,  who  served  in 
your  command,  married  a  Connecticut  girl. 
Think  of  it,  Major!  But  she  proved  to  be  a 
noble-hearted  woman  and  has  influenced  him 
to  give  up  tobacco  and  stimulants  in  every 
form.  He  travels  this  territory  for  a  New 
York  house.  His  wife  is  well  connected,  and 
one  of  her  ancestors  came  over  in  the  May- 


io  Eneas  Africanus 

flower.  She  is  with  me  now  and  sends  you  her 
regards.  Billy  has  convinced  her  that  next  to 
General  Joseph  Johnston,  you  were  the  brav 
est  man  in  the  Georgia  armies.  M.  H. 


Talbotton,  Ga.,  Oct.  18,  1872. 
Major  George  Tommey,  Louisville,  Ga. 

Sir:  Read  your  letter  in  the  Columbus 
Enquirer.  I  kept  a  livery  stable  here  in  '64 
and  saw  the  man  you  are  huntin  about  that 
time.  He  drove  a  broken  down  old  speckled 
grey  mare  he  called  Lady  Chain,  now  that  you 
mention  it,  and  claimed  she  was  in  foal  to 
"Lightning,"  the  great  four-mile  horse.  I 
took  this  for  a  joke  along  with  some  of  the 
fairy  stories  he  gave  me  about  the  Tommeys, 
but  he  was  so  polite  and  humble  that  I  let  him 
stay  over  night  in  the  stable.  Offered  to  pay 
me  next  morning,  an  seemed  like  he  had  about 
a  bushel  of  Confedrit  money;  but  I  was  long 


Eneas  Africanus  1 1 

on  Confed  myself  and  didn't  let  him  put  any 
more  on  me.  Don't  remember  seein  any  trunk. 
He  was  on  his  way  to  Thomasville,  so  he  said, 
and  I  giv  him  as  much  directions  as  he  could 
carry.  Very  truly, 

WILLIAM  PETERS. 


Thomas  County,  Oct.  19,  1872. 
Major  George  Tommey,  Louisville,  Ga. 

Dear  Sir :  My  wife  remembered  your  old 
nigger  as  soon  as  she  read  your  letter  in  the 
paper,  and  so  did  I  when  she  called  it  to  my 
mind.  He  was  a  big  talker  all  right,  and  sat 
on  our  back  steps  half  the  night  talking  about 
the  Tommeys,  their  race  horse,  twenty-room 
house,  yard  with  six  fountains,  and  a  whole 
tribe  of  niggers.  We  fed  him  and  he  slept  in 
his  wagon.  Next  day  he  wanted  to  pay  me  in 
Confederate  money;  was  using  a  corn  sack  for 
a  pocketbook,  and  it  was  most  full.  He  moved 


12  Eneas  Africanus 

on  to  Thomasville,  about  six  miles  from  here, 
but  I  don't  think  it  was  the  place  he  was  look 
ing  for.  I  reckon  it  must  have  been  "Tom- 
meysville"  he  was  looking  for.  Major,  I  took 
a  good  look  at  Lady  Chain  and  you  ain't  lost 
much  if  you  never  get  her  back,  but  if  you 
don't  find  the  nigger,  you've  lost  the  champion 
liar  of  Georgia.  I  hope  you  get  him  back,  but 
it's  hardly  possible  a  man  talking  like  he 
did  could  last  seven  years  on  the  public  road. 
Respectfully, 

ABNER  CUMMINGS. 


Thomasville,  Ga.,  Oct.  19,  1872. 
Hon.  Sir  and  Major: 

Your  man  Eneas  came  to  my  home  in 
Thomasville  in  the  winter  of  '65  or  the  fall 
of  '64,  in  great  distress.  He  said  he  had  trav 
eled  a  thousand  miles  to  get  to  Thomasville, 
but  it  wasn't  the  right  Thomasville.  He  had 


Eneas  Africanus  13 

no  idea  of  States,  geography  or  direction. 
Claimed  he  lived  in  Jefferson  County,  next  to 
Washington  County,  and  as  this  describes  two 
counties  across  the  line  in  Florida,  several 
people  at  different  times  had  sent  him  over 
there.  I  gave  him  a  letter  to  a  friend  over  in 
Jefferson  County  near  Tallahassee.  He  had 
an  old  grey  mare  he  said  was  a  famous  race 
horse,  but  she  didn't  look  it.  Claimed  she 
was  in  foal  to  the  celebrated  "Lightning," 
whose  four-mile  race  in  the  mud  at  New  Or 
leans  I  witnessed.  I  thought  the  old  nigger 
was  loose  in  the  upper  story.  He  had  no  trunk 
when  here.  Very  truly, 

ANDREW  LOOMIS. 


Tallahassee,  Fla.,  Oct.  20,  1872. 
Major  Geo.  E.  Tommey,  Tommeysville,  via 

Louisville,  Ga. 

My  Dear  Sir:     Eneas,   your  old  negro, 
whose  name  I  had  forgotten  until  I  read  your 


14  Eneas  Africanus 

letter  in  a  local  paper,  was  on  my  plantation 
near  here  in  '65.  He  came  here  very  blue  and 
utterly  discouraged  from  Thomasville,  Ga. 
Said  he  was  looking  for  a  little  Thomasville 
owned  by  Major  George  E.  Tommey.  He 
brought  a  letter  from  a  friend  of  mine.  There 
are  no  Tommeys  in  this  county,  and  no  Thom 
asville,  and  not  knowing  what  to  do  with  him, 
I  passed  him  along  to  Colonel  Chairs,  a  friend 
in  Washington  County,  which  is  on  the  gulf 
coast.  Chairs  wrote  me  that  he  had  had  a 
great  deal  of  fun  out  of  Eneas.  The  gulf  as 
tonished  him.  He  declared  solemnly  that  he 
knew  he  was  in  the  wrong  Washington,  be 
cause  there  were  no  oranges,  or  scrub  palmet- 
toes,  or  big  green  spiders  (crabs)  in  his,  and 
the  water  had  no  salt  in  it.  Eneas  talked  a 
good  deal  of  Macon  and  Louisville,  and  there 
being  a  county  and  town  so  named,  besides  an 
other  Thomasville,  to  the  north  in  Alabama, 


Eneas  Africanus  1 5 

Chairs  started  him  up  that  way.  I  am  truly 
sorry  the  old  man  came  to  grief.  He  was  a 
harmless  old  fellow,  though  a  picturesque 
liar,  as  are  many  old  negroes  when  they  talk 
of  their  white  folks. 

It  is  possible  that  Eneas  had  a  trunk,  but  I 
have  no  recollection  of  seeing  one  in  his  pos 
session.  Yours  very  truly, 

RANDOLPH  THOMAS. 


Louisville,  Ala.,  Oct.  28,  1872. 
Major  Tommey,  Louisville,  Ga. 

Sir:  A  ole  nigger  name  of  enus  come  by 
hyar  in  the  firs  yer  atter  the  war  with  er  old 
mare  an  er  colt  he  claim  was  by  the  lightnin. 
He  was  lokin  for  a  tomusville,  an  I  tried  to 
show  him  the  way  back  to  tomusville,  in 
Georgia,  but  he  got  mad  and  wanted  to  fight 
me,  an  ef  he  hadnt  ben  er  ole  man  I  would 
have  busted  him  open.  Mr.  tommy,  you  wont 


1 6  Eneas  A  fric anus 

never  see  yo  nigger  no  more  less  he  mends 
his  way  of  acktin  when  you  are  tryin  to  help 
him.  Respectfull,  sir,  yours, 

POMPEY  WILEY  (Colored) . 
He  lef  hyar  for  Macon  County. 


Barton,  Washington  County,  Ala. 
Major  G.  E.  Tommey,  Louisville,  Ga. 

Dear  Sir:  Your  negro,  Eneas,  came  to  my 
place  in  this  county  in  1865,  I  think,  from  a 
little  village  named  Thomasville  to  the  north 
east.  He  was  very  poor  and  his  pathetic  story 
appealed  to  my  sympathies.  I  let  him  have 
some  rations  and  a  piece  of  land  and  he 
planted  a  cotton  crop.  He  married  a  young 
mulatto  woman  on  my  place  that  year,  and 
when  he  left  here  about  Christmas,  1866,  car 
ried  with  him  a  young  baby  besides  the  old 
mare  and  her  colt.  The  colt,  by  the  way,  was 
a  beauty. 


Eneas  A  fric anus  17 

Eneas  was  a  puzzle  to  me,  though  I  have 
lived  among  negroes  all  my  life.  His  stories 
of  you  and  your  place  were  marvels.  But  for 
the  fact  that  he  held  the  mare  and  colt  in  your 
name,  refusing  dozens  of  offers  for  the  latter 
when  in  dire  need,  I  should  have  put  him  down 
a  reckless  romancer.  He  began  preaching 
here  among  the  negroes  and  proved  to  be  a 
most  eloquent  spiritual  advocate.  He  claimed 
to  be  the  pastor  of  a  big  congregation  at 
home.  I  heard  him  on  one  occasion  when  he 
baptized  forty  converts  and  was  thrilled  by 
his  imagery  and  power. 

Eneas  knew  nothing  of  geography  beyond 
the  names  of  a  few  towns  and  counties.  Hear 
ing  of  a  Macon  and  Louisville  over  in  Mis 
sissippi,  he  gathered  his  household  goods  into 
his  wagon  in  December,  '66.  I  do  hope  you 
will  yet  find  him.  Suppose  you  make  inquiries 


1 8  Eneas  Africanus 

through  the  African  Methodist  Church?  He 

ought  to  be  a  bishop  by  this  time. 
Very  respectfully, 

JAMES  TALLY, 
Attorney  at  Law. 


Sunshine  Parsonage, 
Washington  County,  Mississippi. 
Major  Geo.  E.  Tommey,  Louisville,  Ga. 

My  Dear  Sir:  I  was  greatly  interested  in 
your  letter  copied  into  our  county  paper  from 
the  Atlanta  Constitution,  concerning  Eneas 
Tommey.  He  was  here  in  1868  or  1869  with 
a  wife  and  several  children.  They  came  in  a 
one-horse  wagon  drawn  by  an  old  grey  mare 
he  called  Lady  Chain,  and  followed  by  a 
splendid  young  colt  he  declared  was  from 
celebrated  racing  stock.  An  almost  worn  out 
pass  from  his  mistress,  Mrs.  Tommey,  though 
it  bore  no  date  or  address,  saved  the  old  man 


Eneas  Africanus  19 

from  arrest.  His  story,  that  he  was  lost  and 
on  his  way  home,  though  remarkable,  was 
possible,  and  he  was  not  molested.  The  narra 
tive  of  his  wanderings  interested  me  greatly. 
He  came  up  the  river — the  Mississippi — 
from  Jefferson  County,  trying  to  find  a  ford. 
He  had  heard  of  a  Washington  parish  and  a 
Thomasville  in  Louisiana,  and  was  trying  to 
reach  them.  He  rented  a  piece  of  land  near 
here  and  raised  a  crop,  leaving  in  1869  for 
Jefferson  County,  Alabama.  I  gave  him  a 
letter  to  a  minister  in  that  county. 
Very  truly, 

(Rev.)  JOHN  SIMMS. 

P.  S. — I  regret  to  say  that  after  leaving 
here,  Eneas,  though  an  active  minister  of  the 
Gospel,  suffered  the  young  horse  to  be  entered 
in  a  county  race.  I  understand  that  he  won 
about  $75.  Allowance,  however,  must  be 
made  for  the  old  man's  necessities  and  dis 
tress.  J.  S. 


2O  Eneas  Africanus 

Idlewilde,  Jefferson  County,  Ala. 

October  26,  1872. 
Major  Geo.  E.  Tommey,  Louisville,  Ga. 

My  Dear  Sir :  A  Birmingham  paper  to-day 
gave  me  the  explanation  of  a  mystery  that  has 
puzzled  my  family  for  several  years,  when  it 
reproduced  your  letter  to  the  Atlanta  Consti 
tution.  Eneas — or  the  Rev.  Eneas  Tommey, 
as  he  called  himself — came  here  in  1869  witn 
a  grey  mare,  and  a  splendid  young  horse, 
which  he  claimed  was  of  marvelous  speed, 
and  a  letter  from  a  friend  of  mine  in  Missis 
sippi.  He  also  brought  a  wife  and  two  chil 
dren.  To  the  latter  he  added  a  third  before 
leaving.  My  daughter  was  greatly  interested 
in  the  old  man's  remarkable  story,  and  made 
an  effort  to  help  him.  She  took  down  a  letter 
to  you,  which  he  dictated,  made  seven  copies 
of  it  and  sent  one  to  every  Thomasville  in  the 
South.  They  all  came  back  to  her.  By  good 


Eneas  Africanus  21 

luck  she  retained  one  for  her  scrapbook,  and 
I  enclose  it  that  you  may  see  how  the  faithful 
old  fellow  was  trying  to  reach  you.  He  stayed 
around  here  farming  and  preaching  until 
1870  when,  hearing  from  a  horse  trader  of  a 
Macon  and  a  Sparta  in  Tennessee,  he  moved 
on.  He  had  no  trunk  with  him,  and  I  am 
afraid  your  cup  is  gone. 

Very  truly, 

(Rev.)  AMOS  WELLS. 
P.  S. — I  am  informed  that  Eneas  partici 
pated  in  a  horse  race  in  Birmingham  after 
leaving  here,  and  won  a  great  deal  of  money. 

A.W. 

Letter  of  Eneas  inclosed  in  that  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Wells: 

Marse  George :  I  am  loss  in  er  distric 
called  Yellerhama,  by  a  town  name  o'Burn- 
ingham.  Ef  you  knows  whar  Burningham  is, 


22  Eneas  Africanus 

fer  God's  sake  come  ter  me  fer  I  can't  git  ter 
you !  Me  an'  Lady  Chain  is  plum  wore  out. 

Marse  George,  I  been  ter  firs  one  an'  den 
ernuther  Thomasville,  year  in  an'  year  out, 
tell  thar  ain't  no  sense  in  hit.  An'  I  ain't  hit 
de  right  one  yit.  Evy  yuther  place  is  name 
Thomasville  er  Macon  er  Washington  er 
Jefferson.  Evybody  knows  whar  I  wanter  go 
but  me,  an'  shows  me  de  road;  but  all  I  kin 
do  is  ter  keep  er  movin'.  De  firs  Thomasville 
I  got  ter  I  got  back  fo'  times.  Hit  was  harder 
ter  lose  it  than  hit  was  ter  find  it ! 

Marse  George,  I  come  ter  one  pond  I 
couldn't  see  ercross  an'  de  water  warn't  no 
count.  The  last  Thomasville  was  out  most  ter 
sundown  an'  I  was  headin'  fer  ernuther  when 
I  struck  er  creek  er  mile  wide  an'  Lady  Chain 
couldn't  wade  hit,  so  we  turn  back. 

Marse  George,  Lady  Chain's  colt  come, 
back  in  the  secon'  Jefferson,  an'  he  sholy  is  ole 


Eneas  Africanus  23 

Lightnin's  colt;  long-legged,  big-footed  an' 
iron  grey.  I  been  tryin'  him  out  hyar  an'  thar 
an'  thar  ain't  nothin'  kin  tech  him. 

Marse  George,  I  got  ernuther  wife  down 
in  de  third  Washington  an'  am  bringin'  her 
erlong.  She  weighs  one  hundred  and  sixty, 

an'  picks  fo'  hundred  pounds  er  cotton  er  day. 
She  b'longs  ter  you,  same  as  me  an'  Lady 
Chain  an'  de  colt. 

Marse  George,  er  horse  trader  goin'  by 
told  me  erbout  some  more  Macons  an'  Spartas 
an'  Jeffersons  an'  Washingtons  up  de  country 
fum  hyar  an'  ef  I  don't  git  word  fum  you  by 
nex'  month,  I'm  gointer  move  erlong. 

Marse  George,  ef  you  knows  whar  I  is  fum 
dis  hyar  letter  an'  can't  come  yo'self,  sen'  fer 
me.  I'm  sick  o'  de  road  an'  wanter  git  home. 
Do  somp'n  an'  do  it  quick ! 

Yo'  ole  nigger, 

ENEAS. 


24  Eneas  Africanus 

Macon,  Term.,  Oct.  30,  1872. 
Maj.  George  E.  Tommey,  Louisville,  Ga. 

My  Dear  Sir:  Eneas  was  here  in  1869  or 
1870  and  remained  about  a  year  preaching  at 
Mt.  Zion  and  other  places  in  the  county.  I 
do  not  know  when  I  ever  met  a  more  original 
and  entertaining  talker.  His  description  of 
your  colonial  house  with  its  forty  rooms, 
white  columns  and  splendid  parks  has  aroused 
in  me  a  strong  desire  to  visit  the  place  if  I 
am  ever  able  to  come  to  Georgia.  I  know  it 
must  have  suffered  from  the  ravages  of  the 
war,  but  doubtless  enough  remains  to  show  its 
former  magnificence.  I  am  especially  anxious 
to  see  the  great  lake  with  its  flock  of  swans, 
and  the  twelve  fountains  on  your  lawn.  My 
mother  is  a  Georgian  and  have  often  heard 
her  describe  the  natural  beauties  of  the  State. 
There  is  a  feeling  with  us  all  that  at  last  it  is 
"home"  and  that  some  day  we  shall  all  assem- 


Eneas  Africanus  25 

ble  in  dear  old  Monroe  county  where  grandpa 
was  born. 

Eneas  brought  with  him  to  this  place  a  grey 
mare  that  was,  he  said,  a  famous  race  horse, 
and  that  the  father  of  her  colt  was  the  greatest 
horse  in  the  world.  I  had  forgotten  their 
names  until  I  read  your  letter.  Eneas  insisted 
that  you  lived  at  Thomasville  next  to  Wash 
ington  and  Jefferson  Counties,  and  near  a 
town  named  Louisville.  There  are  towns  and 
counties  of  the  same  names  in  this  State  and 
he  left  to  visit  them.  He  seemed  to  have 
plenty  of  money.  I  hope  you  will  hear  from 
him  yet,  but  I  am  afraid  the  trunk  is  gone. 
He  had  none  when  here. 

Sincerely  yours, 

MARY  ADKINS. 


Louisville,  Tenn.,  Oct.  27,  1872. 

Sir :  Don't  you  worry  about  old  Eneas.  He 

came  here  in  or  about  '70  with  a  grey  mare, 


26  Eneas  Africanus 

a  long-legged  race  horse,  a  young  wife  and 
three  children,  and  give  out  that  he  was  a  min 
ister  of  the  Gospel.  They  stayed  on  my  place 
and  there  were  four  children  when  they  left. 
He  was  a  preacher  all  right,  cause  I  heard 
him  time  and  again,  but  all  the  same  he  was 
the  biggest  liar  in  Tennessee  at  that  time,  and 
that's  a  great  record  for  any  man.  Major,  if 
half  he  said  about  you  and  your  place  is  true, 
you  ought  to  be  President.  You  must  have 
owned  all  the  niggers  in  Georgia,  and  your 
home  must  be  spread  over  all  three  of  them 
counties  he  has  been  looking  for  ever  since 
freedom.  About  that  Lightning  colt — he  cer 
tainly  looks  it.  Eneas  slipped  him  into  a  free- 
for-all  up  here  and  him  and  a  strange  white 
man  about  busted  the  county.  I  offered  him 
$500  for  the  colt,  but  he  said  your  price  was 
$20,000.  Considering  you  had  never  seen 
him,  I  thought  that  a  little  high  and  him  and 


Eneas  Africanus  27 

me  didn't  trade.  Next  day  he  was  gone.  Oh, 
you  Eneas !  Say,  Major,  if  he  ever  gets  back, 
and  he  will,  for  you  can't  lose  that  kind  of  man 
for  good,  better  nail  down  everything  mov 
able — including  them  twelve  fountains. 
Yours, 

TOM  JOHNSON. 

P.  S. — I  say ;  twelve  fountains ! 

P.  S.  S. — Forty-four  rooms !    Gosh !  is  the 
Legion  still  with  you  ? 


Washington  County,  N.  C.,  Oct.  20,  1872. 
Maj.  George  E.  Tommey,  Louisville,  Ga. 

My  Dear  Major :  Your  old  negro  has  been 
on  my  plantation  for  about  a  year  farming 
and  preaching  and  romancing.  He  came 
straight  through  Tennessee  and  North  Caro 
lina,  touching  Sparta,  Louisville,  Washington 
and  Jefferson  Counties  in  the  former,  and  the 
towns  of  Jefferson,  Sparta  and  Macon  in  this 


28  Eneas  Africanus 

State  before  he  found  me.  I  am  affectionately 
known  all  over  this  section  of  the  State  as 
"Major  Tommy,"  and  as  the  old  negro  was 
looking  for  "Major  Tommey,"  somebody 
put  him  on  my  trail.  He  soon  had  me  treed, 
but  was  greatly  disappointed  when  he  saw  me. 
However,  that  did  not  keep  him  from  paying 
me  a  year's  visit.  Eneas  is  a  queer  character 
— wisdom  of  the  serpent  and  simplicity  of  a 
child.  His  story,  probably  growing  with  age 
like  the  stories  of  some  of  our  veterans,  has 
beguiled  many  a  lonely  hour  for  me,  but  not 
until  I  read  your  letter  in  the  Richmond  Dis 
patch  did  I  give  him  credit  for  many  facts 
in  it.  The  young  race  horse  is  certainly  a  fine 
animal  and  should  you  decide  to  sell  him  I 
trust  you  will  give  me  the  refusal.  Eneas  won 
several  purses  up  here  in  local  races.  It  seems 
he  has  a  new  name  for  his  horse  everywhere 
he  goes.  He  says  it  keeps  him  from  getting 


Eneas  Africanus  29 

"too  common."  When  Eneas  was  not  plow 
ing  or  racing,  his  favorite  occupation  was 
preaching,  his  subject  usually  being  the  wan- 
dering  of  the  Hebrews  in  the  desert.  He  left 
here  for  Jefferson,  S.  C.  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
I  heard  no  mention  of  your  lost  cup,  and  if 
he  had  any  trunk  I  was  not  informed  of  it. 

With  regards  for  yourself  and  all  good 
wishes  for  the  young  bride,  I  am, 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

THOMAS  BAILEY, 
(Late)  Major  I3th  N.  C.  Volunteers,  C.S.A. 

Extract  from  Columbia  (S.  C.)  Register, 
October  27,  1872: 

One  of  the  surprises  of  yesterday's  races 
came  in  the  free-for-all  two-mile  dash,  which 
was  won  by  "Chainlightning,"  entered  by  an 
old  negro  man  calling  himself  Eneas  Tom- 
mey,  who  claims  the  horse  was  sired  by  the 


30  Eneas  Africanus 

celebrated  stallion  Lightning,  and  that  the 
dam,  which  he  drives  to  a  one-horse  wagon 
on  his  way  to  Georgia,  is  "Lady  Chain."  She 
was  certainly  a  tired  looking  old  lady.  Eneas 
arrived  late  and  at  once  attracted  attention  by 
his  unique  appearance  and  his  limitless  faith 
in  Chainlightning.  His  story  and  the  splen 
did  horse  interested  some  stablemen  and  after 
a  private  demonstration  they  succeeded  in 
getting  him  entered  and  a  rider  engaged.  In 
the  get-off  Chainlightning  took  the  lead  and 
gave  a  marvelous  exhibition  of  speed.  He  led 
the  bunch  by  a  hundred  yards  at  the  end  of  the 
first  mile  and  by  nearly  three  hundred  at  the 
end  of  the  second.  He  was  then  going  strong 
and  the  efforts  of  the  rider  to  stop  him  re 
sulted  in  a  runaway.  When  he  came  around 
the  third  time  the  crowd  blocked  the  track  and 
brought  him  to  a  standstill,  but  his  rider  was 
thrown.  Eneas  won  $200.  It  is  not  known 


Eneas  Africanus  3 1 

how  his  backers  fared,  but  it  is  supposed  that 
they  cleaned  up  a  good  pile  on  the  side.  Eneas 
left  on  yesterday,  going  toward  Augusta,  Ga. 
It  was  suggested  afterwards  that  this  may 
have  been  the  man  advertised  for  in  the  At 
lanta  Constitution  by  a  Major  Tommey,  of 
Louisville,  Ga.,  a  few  weeks  ago.  The  matter 
will  be  brought  to  his  attention.  One  reason 
for  the  sudden  departure  of  the  old  negro, 
who  had  become  quite  a  hero  among  members 
of  his  race,  is  said  to  be  a  movement  to  elect 
him  to  the  State  Senate. 


Louisville,  Ga. —  (Correspondence  Macon 
Telegraph  and  Messenger,  Oct.  31,  '72.)  — 
Your  correspondent  on  Thursday  last  was  the 
favored  guest  of  Major  George  E.  Tommey, 
the  famous  commander  of  the  Tommey 
Legion,  which  rendered  conspicuous  service 
to  the  Confederacy  as  part  of  Johnston's — 


32  Eneas  A fricanus 

afterwards  Hood's — army,  in  the  Tennessee 
and  North  Georgia  campaigns.  The  Major 
lives  about  twelve  miles  from  this  place  at 
Tommeysville,  as  his  plantation  is  called. 
His  delightful  residence  is  one  of  the  old- 
fashioned  two-story  houses  with  broad  hall 
and  verandahs  and  two  large  wings,  and  is 
situated  in  a  beautiful  grove  of  oak  and 
hickory.  The  broad  lawn  in  front  abounds 
with  roses  and  among  them  is  a  tiny  fountain 
with  a  spray.  Beyond  the  house  lie  the  barns 
and  the  negro  quarters  and  a  small  artificial 
lake  where  ducks  abound.  Sherman's  army 
missed  the  charming  spot  and  the  only  sugges 
tion  of  the  late  unpleasantness  is  the  Major's 
sword  crossed  with  the  colors  of  the  Legion 
over  the  broad  fireplace  at  the  end  of  the  hall. 
The  occasion  of  your  correspondent's  visit 
was  the  marriage  of  the  Major's  only  daugh 
ter,  Beauregarde  Forrest,  to  Mirabeau  Lamar 


Eneas  Africanus  33 

Temple,  of  Dallas,  Texas.  The  bride,  a  petite 
brunette  of  great  beauty,  entered  life  eighteen 
years  ago,  inheriting  her  mother's  name,  but 
by  the  act  of  the  Georgia  Legislature  this  was 
changed  in  honor  of  the  two  heroes  of  the 
Confederacy  dear  to  the  heart  of  her  illustri 
ous  father.  The  groom  bears  the  name  of  two 
Georgia  families  long  ago  transplated  to  the 
Lone  Star  State  and  is  an  attorney  of  great 
promise. 

The  wedding  supper  was  charming  in  its 
simplicity  and  homeliness,  using  the  word  in 
its  original  sense.  The  broad  back  porch  be 
tween  the  two  wings  was  closed  in  with  smilax 
and  the  feast  was  spread  on  d  great  home 
made  table  twenty  feet  in  diameter.  Seats 
were  placed  for  forty.  Such  a  display  of  deli 
cacies  and  substantials  has  not  been  seen  in 
this  section  since  the  good  old  days  before  the 
war.  The  low  growing  ferns  and  cut-flowers 


34  Eneas  Africanus 

of  the  decorations — there  by  the  hundreds — 
did  not  hide  the  guests'  smiling  faces.  Wine, 
the  famous  scuppernong  of  the  Major's  own 
vintage,  was  the  only  stimulant  visible,  for  the 
Major  and  his  good  lady  are  almost  total  ab 
stainers.  When  the  guests  were  seated  a 
grace  was  pronounced  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thig- 
pen,  and  fun  and  merriment  broke  loose. 
Toast  after  toast  was  given  and  sentiment  and 
the  poets  were  interspersed  with  songs  from 
the  family  negroes  assembled  in  the  backyard 
by  a  gigantic  bonfire.  Some  of  the  songs  were 
of  exquisite  harmony  and  pathos.  Freedom, 
so  far,  had  brought  but  little  of  brightness 
into  the  lives  of  these  humble  people. 

A  dramatic  situation  that  will  one  day  enter 
into  a  story,  came  during  the  supper  festivi 
ties.  A  sudden  excitement  among  the  negroes 
was  followed  by  cries,  some  of  merriment  and 
some  of  fear,  and  by  a  stampede  of  the 


Eneas  Africanus  35 

juniors.  In  the  red  light  of  the  bonfire  an  old 
negro  suddenly  appeared,  reining  up  a  splen 
did  grey  horse.  The  old  man  was  seated  in  a 
red-wheeled  road  cart,  enveloped  in  a  flop 
ping  linen  duster,  and  wore  a  silk  hat.  His 
"Whoa,  Chainlightning!"  resounded  all  over 
the  place.  Then  he  stood  up  and  began  to 
shout  about  Moses  and  the  Hebrew  chil 
dren  being  led  out  of  Egypt  into  the  promised 
land.  Major  Tommey  listened  for  a  brief  in 
stant  and  rushed  out.  The  newcomer  met  him 
with  an  equal  rush  and  their  loud  greetings 
floated  back  to  us  clear  as  the  notes  of  a  plan 
tation  bell:  "Eneas,  you  black  rascal,  where 
have  you  been?" 

"O!  Lord,  Marse  George!  Glory  be  ter 
God!  Out  o'  de  wilderness!  De  projeckin' 
son  am  back  ergin!" 

"It's  Eneas!"  screamed  the  little  bride, 
gathering  up  her  skirts  and  rushing  out.  In 


36  Eneas  Africanus 

the  strong  light,  as  the  wedding  party  hur 
riedly  followed,  we  could  see  the  old  negro 
hanging  to  his  master  as  he  filled  the  night 
with  his  weird  cries.  Catching  the  excitement, 
the  negroes  around  began  to  moan  and  chant, 
taking  their  text  from  the  old  man's  words. 

"Where  have  you  been,  sir?"  The  Major 
was  trying  to  free  himself  and  choking  with 
tears  and  laughter. 

UA11  over  de  blessed  worl',  Marse  George ! 
But  I'm  home  ergin ! — You  hyar  me,  niggers? 
— home  ergin!" 

"Stop,  sir!" — But  suddenly  the  old  man 
grew  rigid  in  the  grasp  of  a  momentous 
thought.  His  voice  sank  to  a  whisper  audible 
to  only  a  few  of  us : 

"Marse  George,  wha's  Nancy?" 

"Nancy  is  dead,  Eneas,"  said  the  Major, 
sadly. 

"Thank  God!"  said  the  old  man  fervently. 


Eneas  Africanus  37 

"Where  is  my  trunk,  Eneas?"  The  old 
negro  was  making  a  horn  of  his  hands  and 
giving  the  plantation  halloo.  With  his  eyes 
|set  on  the  banking  shadows  beyond  the  fire, 
he  waited,  an  inscrutable  smile  on  his  wrinkled 
face.  Presently,  into  the  circle  of  light  came 
an  old  grey  mare,  drawing  a  wagon  in  which 
sat  a  yellow  woman,  hovering  a  small  colony 
of  children. 

UI  done  brought  you  a  whole  bunch  o' 
new  Yellerhama,  Burningham  niggers,  Marse 
George !  Some  folks  tell  me  dey  is  free,  but 
I  know  dey  b'long  ter  Marse  George  Tommey 
des  like  Lady  Chain  and  her  colt!  Marse 
George,  you  oughter  see  dat  horse — ' 

"Where  is  the  trunk?"  repeated  the  Major, 
laughing  and  wiping  his  eyes.  "Where  did 
you  leave  it,  Eneas?" 

"I  ain't  left  hit,"  said  Eneas,  indignantly. 
"Git  out  o'  dat  wagon,  niggers,  fo'  I  bus 


3  8  Eneas  Africanus 

somer  you  wide  open!"  The  little  colony  fel] 
over  the  wheels  like  cooters  from  a  log,  and 
drawing  aside  the  hay  that  had  held  them, 
Eneas  brought  forth  a  time  and  weather  defy 
ing  hair  trunk.  He  heaved  a  mighty  sigh  of 
relief  as  he  dropped  it  on  the  ground : 

"Dar  'tis,  Marse  George,  an'  I  sho  is  glad 
to  git  shut  o'  dat  ol'  bunch  o'  hide  an'  hair!" 
The  bride  danced  and  clapped  her  tiny  hands : 
"My  cup!  My  cup!  Get  it!  Quick!  O,  please 
somebody  open  the  trunk!" 

Major  Tommey  picked  up  an  axe  and  with 
one  blow  sliced  off  the  ancient  lock.  From  its 
snug  nest  in  cotton  batting,  the  bride  lifted  a 
shining  cup,  the  cup,  Mr.  Editor,  advertised 
in  your  columns  a  few  weeks  ago.  A  bucket 
rattled  down  in  the  nearby  well  and  the  bride 
groom  came  with  a  great  gourd  to  fill  it.  Then 
he  read  aloud  the  quaint  inscription : 


Eneas  Africanus  39 

uYe  bryde  whose  lippes  kysse  myne 
An  taste  ye  water  an  no  wyne 
Shall  happy  live  and  hersel  see 
A  happy  grandchile  on  each  knee." 

The  little  woman  accepted  the  challenge 
with  the  cup,  and  smiling  up  to  the  face  of  her 
husband  sipped  of  the  crystal  draught  and 
handed  him  the  cup.  He,  too,  drank,  but  the 
slight  flush  on  the  bride's  face  was  as  nothing 
to  the  fiery  scarlet  of  his  own  when  a  storm  of 
applause  greeted  the  act. 

Eneas  had  drawn  the  Major  aside  and  pro 
duced  an  old  strap  pocketbook  stuffed  with 
bills. 

uMarse  George,"  he  began,  ude  bag  o' 
yaller  war  money  what  dey  gimme  warn't  no 
good  over  yonner  whar  I  been.  Countin'  dc 
c'llections  I  tuck  up  in  the  church  an'  what 


4-O  Eneas  Africanus 

I  winned  on  de  track  wid  Chainlightnin'  an' 
ain't  spent — " 

"Keep  it,  Eneas,"  said  the  Major,  almost 
exploding  with  laughter,  and  patting  the  old 
man  on  the  shoulder,  "that  bunch  of  Burn- 
ingham  Yellerhama  niggers  more  than 
squares  us!" 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
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DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


NOV  11    1^33 


NOW     12  1933 

Kov  13  ^33 

?y.  !  V       - 

MAY   6  1935 

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